Stabilized nitrated starch.



UME ears FLETCHER B. HOLMES, OF WOODBURY, NEW .lERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE E, I. DU PONT DE- NEMOURS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON,

JERSEY.

DELAWARE, CORPORATION OF NEW STABILIZED NITRATED STARCH.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FLETCHER B. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at W'oodbury, county of Gloucester, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stabilized Nitrated Starch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact, description:

The object of my invention is to produce stable nitrated starch.

' Nitrated starch may be used as an explosive itself, or preferably may be used as a component art of an explosive, such as where it is mixed with sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, or some other oxygen carrier, with or Without the addition of other ingredients. The difficulty with nitrated starch is that it is very unstable, being liable to decomposition. When such nitrated starch decomposes, which it is liable to do at ordinary temperatures, it becomes liable to spontaneous combustion.-

I have discovered that I can. produce a stable nitrated starch-by mixing with nitrated starch any amid ofan organic. aromatic acid, which includes benzamid, which I prefer to use,'dibenzamid (c ll COhi lL the amid of toluic acid, etc.

In practice the reagent is mixed with the nitrated starch prepared in the ordinary and Well known manner, and in an amount, preferably from two to five per cent, although larger and smaller amounts can be used with success.

The mixing may be made in any.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 20. 1907- serial No. 374.536.

- Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

manner to produce a good mixture. They may be mixed wet or dry and in any kmd of a mixer. Preferably I- mix the two in a finely divided powdered condition in a bowl provided with stirrers or paddles. I have found 3 per cent. of the stabilizing reagent added to the nitrated starch to give good results. I

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A stable explosive, consisting of a mixture of nitrated starch and an amid of an organic aromatic acid, the latter being in such proportion as to stabilize the nitrated starch.

2. A stable explosive, consisting of a mixture of nitrated starch and from two to five per cent, ol an amid of an organic aromatic acid.

'3. A stable explosive, consisting of a mixture of nitrated starch and benzamid, the latter being in such proportion as to stabilize the nitrated starch.

4. A stable explosive, consisting of a mix-' ture of. nitrated starch and from two to five per cent. of benzamid.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, on this 15th day of May, 1907.

FLETCHER B. HOLMES.

Witnesses M. M. IIAMILTON, E. E. WALL. 

